Nothing Owed
by Kristen3
Summary: Sequel to "Numb" by BaronessBlixen, written w/ permission. Niles' attempt to reveal his feelings to Daphne didn't quite go as he hoped. But now he's feeling better. Can he find a way to tell her what he's wanted to tell her since they met?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Thanks to Annika (BaronessBlixen) for allowing me to continue her wonderful story, "Numb." Hope this lives up to the expectation! And thanks to Leigh Ann (leighann415) for reading drafts. Hope I can get this finished and posted soon!

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Daphne walked into Cafe Nervosa, planning to grab herself a coffee to go before returning home. But she stopped when she entered the coffeeshop and saw Dr. Crane and his younger brother seated at a table. She was glad to see that Niles was looking much better. The mere thought of the pain he'd endured after tripping and falling onto a marble statue caused Daphne's heart to ache. She'd apologized profusely for causing the accident. But she didn't think he'd understood her very well. Whatever painkillers he'd been given must have affected his mind. Because he kept saying the same thing over and over again, "I owe you." It didn't make any sense. Daphne shook her head, pushing those thoughts aside. She was sure he was probably embarrassed by the whole experience.

She walked toward the counter, praying no one would notice her presence. Once again, she stopped. Clearly, the two brothers were having a conversation. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, remembering how she hated the way her brothers invaded her privacy when she was growing up. But she realized they were talking about her.

"Suddenly, I realized, I just had to tell Daphne," Niles was saying.

Frasier reacted with surprise. "You _told _her?!"

Niles smiled, blushing a bit. "Yes, I did. But, thanks to that quack-dentist, she couldn't understand me. She thought I was saying 'I owe you.'"

"Oh," Frasier said. "That is awkward. What are you going to do now?"

Niles sighed. "I'm not sure. I want to tell her, of course. I've wanted to tell her for years. But this isn't exactly how I pictured it."

Frasier was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Well, why don't you come over for dinner tonight? Maybe once you see her again, you can just go from there. Just do whatever your heart tells you to, Niles."

Daphne could hardly believe this. His mind hadn't been affected by drugs. He'd been trying to tell her something else. Something that came from the heart. Suddenly, Daphne turned, leaving the cafe before anyone could stop her.


	2. Chapter 2

Daphne did her best to concentrate on her chores, but didn't quite succeed. She wondered what Dr. Crane had wanted to say. Whatever it was, it must be something awfully personal. She was touched he'd want to confide in her that way, considering how close he and the other Dr. Crane were. But, then, he'd always been so sweet to her, complimenting her almost every day, listening to all her stories about her brothers, and letting her vent about how stubborn Mr. Crane could be.

Somehow, she managed to make it through the day. She noticed Frasier and his father exchanging worried glances, but neither of them asked what was on her mind. As she began setting the table for dinner, Frasier looked up from the psychology book he was reading. "Niles will be joining us, Daphne. Set an extra place for him, will you?"

Daphne smiled. "I already set one. I'm so glad he's feeling better."

"Oh, we Crane boys tend to bounce back rather quickly."

Martin rolled his eyes. "Right, and they're great athletes, too."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Daphne went to answer it. "That must be your brother now." She opened the door, and there he was. He smiled at the sight of her, but he looked more nervous than Daphne had ever seen him.

"Evening, Dr. Crane. I'm so glad you're feeling better!"

"Thank you, Daphne." He fidgeted nervously. He remembered the way she'd taken care of him after the accident, and he felt a rush of love for her.

Daphne looked at Dr. Crane with concern. He seemed to be dazed, staring into space, rather than entering the apartment. "Is something wrong?"

Niles blushed, realizing his mind was a thousand miles away. "No...I was just thinking."

Daphne's heart skipped a beat. Had he been thinking about her? It was possible. But Dr. Crane was also going through a bitter divorce, as well as doing his best to help the many troubled people who came to him for therapy. He certainly had a lot to think about these days. Daphne smiled, realizing she still hadn't invited him in. "Why don't you come in and take off your coat? Dinner's just about ready."

Niles nodded, finally making his way into the apartment.

"Hi, Dad. Hi, Frasier." Martin acknowledged his son with a nod, barely looking up from the Mariners' game.

"Hello, Niles. Sherry?" Frasier asked.

Niles nodded. He hoped the drink would steady his nerves. The idea that in just a few hours, he might end up confessing his deepest feelings for Daphne was almost more than he could bear. Just looking at her made him long to hold her in his arms, whispering the words he'd wanted to say before.


	3. Chapter 3

For once, Niles was grateful when Frasier monopolized the dinner conversation. He easily tuned out his brother's re-telling of one of the calls he'd taken this afternoon. Instead, he focused on Daphne. How was it that she'd become more beautiful in the time he'd been here?

As Niles watched her in silence, he realized he _had_ to tell her tonight. After all, his run-in with the marble statue had taught him that nothing in life was a guarantee. Even his father had nearly lost his life during a simple stop at a convenience store. In spite of his usual instincts to play it safe, Niles would do it this time. Several times during dinner, he nearly blurted the words out. Thankfully, he was able to stop himself in time.

Frasier looked at his brother, seeing the lovesick expression he wore. It was obvious Niles was planning to speak to Daphne tonight. Well, then, so be it. Frasier wasn't sure if Daphne would return his brother's feelings, but maybe it was better for them to get it all out in the open. Niles had pined for her in secret long enough. "Say, Dad, why don't we go over to McGinty's and have a beer? I'll buy."

Martin looked at his son, stunned what he'd just heard. "You want to go to McGinty's?!"

Frasier shrugged, casting a glance at Niles. "Yeah...I feel like reliving my Boston days. Come on."

Martin stood. "All right. I could use a beer myself. Maybe later we can go and meet Duke. We might even be able to watch a monster-truck rally on cable!"

Frasier took a deep breath, remembering why he was doing this. "Sure, Dad. Whatever you say."

When the two left, Daphne turned to Dr. Crane and smiled. "Well, looks like it's just two of us now. Unless you've got to rush off somewhere, too."

"No. But I'd be glad to help you with those dishes."

Daphne smiled once again. "That's awfully sweet of you, Dr. Crane." She sensed that he was leading up to something. But she knew she had to be patient. After all, he was probably still in pain from his fall the other day. Whatever was going on, she was just grateful for the company. She found that he was quite eager to get the chore done. The dishes were cleaned and put away in half the time it would've taken Daphne to do them herself.

When Niles saw that there was no more work to do in the kitchen, he knew this was it. The moment when he would reveal everything to Daphne.

Daphne turned to Dr. Crane. "Thanks for helping me with these dishes. Your father and brother usually run out of here as fast as they can whenever it's time to clean up. They could learn a thing or two from you!"

Niles blushed. "Daphne, would you mind if we sat in the living room for a moment?"

"All right, Dr. Crane. I could use a rest after all of that." When she realized how that sounded, she added, "Not that doing chores with you is unpleasant. But still, looking after your father isn't easy sometimes!"

Niles once again felt a rush of love for her. He sometimes felt that he was the only one who truly appreciated Daphne's hard work.

When they reached the living room and sat on the sofa, Daphne let out a relieved sigh. "So, Dr. Crane, what's on your mind?"

Niles suddenly found himself feeling nervous. He and Daphne had always been good friends. There was no doubting that. But the next few moments could change their relationship forever. He could only hope it would be a change for the better. "I just wanted to thank you again for taking such good care of me after...that incident."

Daphne laughed, reaching over to take hold of his hand. "You don't need to thank me at all! It was the least I could do, after I dragged you all over Seattle running errands. I'm just so sorry you got hurt. It broke me heart, knowing you were in such pain."

Niles could hardly breathe. Not only from her touch, but her words, as well. She was truly the kindest person he'd ever known. "Daphne, you didn't drag me anywhere. I would've gone with you no matter what the occasion." He paused, wondering if he could really do this. Then he remembered the many times he'd tried to make her understand after he'd been injected with large amounts of Novocain. "In fact, when I was trying to speak the other day, you thought I was saying, 'I owe you.' But that wasn't it. What I meant was, 'I _love_ you.' I've always known what a warm, caring person you are. And now that I've seen those qualities firsthand, I can only say that I've fallen even more deeply in love with you."

Daphne wondered how she could've not seen this coming. She'd seen signs over the years, a glance here, a compliment there. But she'd refused to acknowledge what it all meant, until now, when she could no longer ignore it. "Of course you're me friend," Daphne said. Talking about friendship felt safe. She was totally comfortable with that. But she knew now that she would have to go beyond that point. The only question was, did she want to? There were many things to consider: her job, the difference in their classes, the sheer impossibility of any of it working out.

Then she remembered how she'd felt when he fell there in the bakery. When she saw the horrible accident, she'd only been aware of one thing: he was in pain. Of course, she was trained to heal the injured. To an extent, it was all a part of her job. But her heart had reacted in a very strange way. It actually _hurt_ at the sight of this man in pain. It was why she'd cried so much after they returned from the dentist's. So...what did all of this mean, then? She could've spent a hundred years reasoning everything out in her head. All the pros, the cons, the reasons. But none of that mattered. The only thing that really counted was the simple truth that resonated in her heart: she loved him.

Niles watched in silence as she apparently wrestled with whatever it was she wanted to say. When he could hold himself back no longer, he reached over, gently touching her cheek. It felt so soft and warm. More than that, it felt _right_. As if it were one more sign that he and Daphne were meant to be. He noticed a small tear forming in her eye. He brushed it away with his thumb before it could even fall.

Daphne could hardly believe the tender way he caressed her cheek. It was as if the slightest move would cause her harm. The idea that he would be so gentle and loving even in something as minor as that was unbelievable. She reached up to cover his hand with hers. Then, slowly, she removed his hand from her face. In one fluid motion she leaned forward. The kiss was slow it first, but it gradually deepened as their feelings took over.

As Niles' mind tried to grasp the fact that he was now kissing the woman he loved, he realized something. Daphne hadn't been that far off when she assumed he was saying "I owe you." After all, he certainly did owe her his life, because she'd saved him. And he would thank her for that as long as he lived.

**The End**


End file.
